Taking in enough fluids each day is important for everyone, regardless of your level of activity. While individual needs vary, the National Academy of Sciences recommends 2.7 liters a day for women and 3.7 liters a day for men. “This number includes both beverages and other fluids as well as fluid your body processes from foods like veggies and fruit,” says Heidi Skolnik, MS, CDN, FACSM, sports nutritionist at the Women’s Sports Medicine Center at HSS, adding that 20 percent of our fluid needs come from food. This leaves approximately 9 cups of fluids for women and 13 cups for men that still need to be consumed each day.
Hydration is particularly important for runners. “Running and sweating increases the amount of fluid we need,” says Skolnik. This can potentially lead to dehydration, which can cause symptoms including headache, rapid heartbeat and fatigue—and it can also slow you down during your run. “Dehydration is influenced by multiple factors, including temperature and humidity, the length and intensity of your run, your body weight and your own personal sweat rate,” adds Skolnik. She offers these tips to help keep dehydration from derailing your progress.
How to tell if you’re not getting enough fluids
Thirst is an obvious sign that you need more fluids. But “as we get older, our thirst sensation may lesson,” says Skolnik. “As we exercise and we dehydrate, our thirst mechanism may not keep up.”
One way to check whether you need more fluids is to consider your pee. If you pee less often, a lesser amount than usual, or it’s darker than straw yellow, that indicates you’re dehydrated, she says.
Another way to monitor your fluid intake when running that can also give you a better sense of your personal sweat rate is to weigh yourself before and after you run. Make sure you have minimal clothing on (“Nude is even more accurate,” Skolnik says) when weighing yourself and noting your “before” weight. After your run, wipe the sweat off your body, then take your “after” measurement. “Make sure to add back to your ‘after’ weight any fluid you had while running,” she says.
For example, say you ran for 90 minutes, and you weighed 164 pounds before your run and 163 pounds after. During your run you drank 8 ounces of water. Adding the 16 ounces from the pound you lost, as well as the 8 ounces of water you drank, adds up to 24 ounces of total sweat loss. Dividing that number by the time you spent running will leave you with your sweat rate. “If you’ve lost more than 2 to 3 percent of your body weight in sweat during your run, it’s time to be more strategic about your fluid intake while running,” Skolnik says.
When and how much to drink
Getting enough fluids during your run is just one part of the equation. “You’ll have a much easier time staying hydrated if you make it a part of your overall fueling plan,” Skolnik says. Just keep in mind that more is not better. “Overconsuming water will not make you more hydrated, and can actually be harmful,” she explains, as your kidneys will note you have reached your limit and signal you to pee more.
On a daily basis:
- Have a glass of water (or more based on your needs and patterns) when you wake up, before you go to bed and with each snack or meal. “The body absorbs fluid better when our stomach is partially full,” Skolnik says.
- Keep a water bottle with you during the day and take sips frequently as, again, your body will absorb this better than waiting and drinking a lot at one time.
Before, during and after your run:
- Have about 6 to 16 ounces of water about 1 to 2 hours before running.
- Based on your own personal sweat rate from the above calculation, divide how much you lose per hour by three or four. Try to try to drink this amount every 15 to 20 minutes during your run to match your fluid loss, Skolnik says, especially on long runs. “If you are a heavy sweater, you may not be able to be exact, so just try to minimize the amount lost.”
- For every pound lost during a run, replace it with 24 ounces of fluid. Depending on the length of your run, Skolnik says, it may also be helpful to have a recovery snack that includes some protein and carbohydrates along with fluid. “This can in the form of a smoothie or shake or can be as simple as a yogurt and banana or bar along with fluid.” Make sure on long runs that you include sodium, which is essential for fluid balance.
What to drink
All beverages count toward your fluid needs, says Skolnik, including juice, milk, plain or flavored seltzers, herbal tea and even caffeinated teas and coffee. “If plain water bores you, try adding some berries, sage, or cucumber slices to a pitcher of water and letting them soak overnight, and you’ll have flavor infused water to sip on throughout the day,” she suggests.
During your runs, cool or cold water is always a good option, especially on runs less than 60 minutes. Sports drinks provide carbohydrates to help delay fatigue and electrolytes to help with fluid balance. This is particularly important when your run is longer (more than 60 to 90 minutes), unusually intense, or in extreme conditions, such as high temperatures or altitude, Skolnik says. Sodium, an electrolyte that is essential to fluid balance, is extremely important to take in along with fluids when sweating heavily.
Another fun tidbit is that the stomach is also trainable and adapts with practice. “You actually can train your gut to maximize absorption and help you run strong,” Skolnik says. As your miles increase, make it a habit to up your fluid and carbohydrate intake as well. When running for more than one hour, coordinate hydration (including sodium) with fueling, she advises. “‘Chunking’ your runs into 15-to-20-minute segments and starting hydration and fueling early will help you stay ahead of your needs.”
